How I Got Here: Gearoid Devaney
Why restaurants?
Ever since I was in school, I’ve always worked part-time jobs in hotels and restaurants. Following my A-levels, I ended up doing a hospitality management course and followed the career path from there. And now here I am!
Tell us something you wish you had been told at the start of your career?
I suppose if I could go back to being 16 and working in a bar in Belfast pulling pints and cleaning ashtrays – I wish someone at that point could have told me about all the possibilities of hospitality, I had to find that out for myself.
What’s your favourite restaurant or group of restaurants (besides your own)?
That’s a difficult one to answer as I’ve got lots of friends and family doing amazing things in restaurants. However, I’m constantly amazed by the JKS restaurant group. They have restaurants on so many different levels and so many different themes and they somehow manage to nail it every single time. It’s very impressive.
What motivates you?
It’s the people. Whether it’s the customers, my teams or everyone that you meet on the way. The world of hospitality really is a people-focused industry, and this motivates me every day. I could never just sit at a computer all day, I’m much happier in a people-facing world.
What keeps you up at night?
At the moment, it’s probably the staffing crisis that the hospitality industry is facing. That, and where the economy might go if all the doomsayers are right…
Which colleague, mentor or employer has had the biggest influence on your approach to the restaurant business?
I mean, there are too many to name! Working with my close friend and colleague Xavier Rousset has seen us open some brilliant venues and we’ve gone through all the ups and downs together. And Jun Tanaka, who’s a chef I worked with over 20 years ago who remains a close friend – he was a key person who helped push me to get my ideas out of my Moleskine notebook and make them happen. Without him, places like Cabotte and The Black Book may not exist.
What time do you wake up?
In my house there’s no need for an alarm – the children provide that for us, which is usually around 6am.
Coffee or tea?
Neither!
How often do you check your email?
Constantly, like everyone. A lot. Probably too much.
How do you let off steam?
I do my best to go out for a run on the weekend, you can usually find me running around Battersea Park on a Sunday morning.
Do you prefer a night on the tiles or a night on the sofa?
I would love to say that I’m a grown up and these days I have more nights on the sofa unfortunately I haven’t quite grown up enough yet and still prefer a good night on the tiles.
What’s your signature dish to cook at home?
Unfortunately, I don’t get the chance to cook much at home but if I do get the chance then it’s a steak night. We’re talking cote de boeuf, medium rare with all the trimmings.
Typical Sunday?
These days Sundays are for relaxing with the family, I always try and keep my Sundays free.
What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
There’s far too many to count!
Favourite holiday destination?
Jordan was pretty magical, being able to visit the dessert. Petra was a pretty stunning place to experience as well.
What are you currently reading?
I’ve been reading the Mick Herron’s Jackson Lamb series – London Rules is the book I’m currently on.
What boxset are you currently watching?
I don’t really watch much television but did see a couple of episodes of Succession recently which I thought was pretty good fun.
What was your dream job growing up?
I think like a lot of boys I wanted to be a footballer at one point, looked like a lot of fun!
Best business decision?
Learning how to delegate.
Worst business decision?
Ha, it probably wasn’t the best idea to launch a hospitality members club a few months before a global pandemic, that felt pretty rough when the lockdown hit.
What piece of advice would you give to those looking to climb the rungs in the business?
Find good mentors and work hard, the possibilities in hospitality truly are endless if you put the work and time in to improve and be the best you can be.
If you could change one thing about the restaurant industry today, what would it be?
There’s so many things actually. I understand that Brexit is done, but if we could allow our friends from Europe to be able to come to the UK and work in hospitality without all the painful paperwork that would surely ease the staffing crisis.
Bio
Born in Belfast in 1975, Devaney studied hospitality management at the University of Ulster and has subsequently spent his career working in the sector. He worked as a sommelier for over 15 years both in London and Paris, including alongside Pierre Gagnaire in his three Michelin star restaurant in Paris and with Tom Aiken and his first Chelsea restaurant. He is a director at Burgundy specialist wine importer Flint Wines. Alongside business partner Xavier Rousset, Devaney opened Cabotte a Burgundy wine focused restaurant in the City of London in 2016. Together they went on to launch TRADE – the hospitality industry’s first-ever private members’ club, which was converted into digital form and is now downloadable as an app. The Soho space where TRADE once sat is now The Black Book, having been relaunched by Devaney and Rousset in 2020.
